The Moon and the Twin Dragons (on hiatus)
by WoHoYo
Summary: Rukia lives a wonderful life with a loving husband, Ichigo K., who rules almost all of Japan. She's blessed with her simple beauty and kindness which draws in admiration from others. However, what happens when her brother-in-law/Ichigo's twin, Shirosaki, the general of the Kurosaki clan, declares that he will become king and make Rukia his queen? Ichigo x (Rukia x Shirosaki)
1. Sleeping Beauty

"**Trapped between the black dragon and white dragon was the moon..."**

* * *

Set in a period from long ago, there was a time when the Kurosaki clan ruled a large portion of Japan. Head of the clan was the eldest of the twin brothers, Ichigo Kurosaki. He was a determined man who set out to create an empire. The youngest of the twin brothers and the general, however, was a cruel man who bore a grudge against his older twin because he thought Ichigo was weak and not fit to be king. His name was Shirosaki. Together, they were fearsome.

Shirosaki envied his brother. Ichigo had a large castle, wealth, reputation... and most importantly, a queen. Rumors about her say that she has a unique beauty and kindness that comes only once every hundred generations. Her dark hair, large violet eyes, and smooth skin gave her a porcelain look. Sometimes, Shirosaki would witness her bathing in the pond outside under the moon's light. And indeed, she was lovely. Her name was Rukia Kurosaki.

"You're tending your garden again, Rukia-sama," Shirosaki said, approaching her from behind. Rukia turned around, greeting him with a faint smile.

"Brother... You're back from battle; I'm assuming you were victorious as usual?" Rukia asked, stepping away from the koi fish pond.

Her garden had been ordered to be built by Ichigo, who gave it to her as a present. In it were beautiful plants; scarlet maple trees were planted near the pond accompanied by a willow tree. Japanese maples covered the land along with irises and azaleas. A small waterfall created the large pond. Over the pond was a bridge and a stone pathway where one could walk. During daytime, the various colors of the garden would put one in awe, but at nighttime, everything glowed with beauty equal to Rukia's. However, what was more special about Rukia's garden was that it bore herbs that, as rumors go, could heal any wound.

"Have you spoken with Ichigo yet?" Rukia asked. Shirosaki was uninterested in the topic. He'd rather not talk about his brother who was an eyesore to him. "You should; he'd be put to ease knowing you've returned safely."

Shirosaki smiled, completely ignoring Rukia's words. One day, he'd have her heart and soul. One day he was going to be king, and she was going to be his queen. "Actually... I may have gotten a few cuts here and there." He removed the top half of his armor, revealing a few wounds he received. He then took off his helmet, displaying a face that looked exactly like her husband Ichigo's. However, Shirosaki was a lot more pale, and instead of orange hair, he had white hair.

Rukia quickly ushered him into one of the many rooms of the castle. "Fetch some water, cloth, and herbs from my garden please," she said to one of the female servants. They both seated down onto cushions while Shirosaki took off his remaining armor pieces. "You're beginning to come back home with more and more wounds. Is there something on your mind that's bothering your performance on the battlefield?" Rukia dipped the cloth into the water, wiping away the dry red blood from his white skin.

"I didn't receive these cuts and bruises because I'm lacking in strength. I purposely allowed myself to be injured because it gives me an excuse to have Rukia-sama this close to me," Shirosaki breathed, smirking as Rukia paused with worry before she proceeded to mix the herbs together.

Rukia looked away from Shirosaki's sadistic eyes while she applied the medicine onto his cuts. Her fingertips ran across his lacerations and cuts. Her hands ran over his toned chest and hard muscles, feeling the coldness of his flesh. "Don't speak of your feelings for me again. Ichigo will not tolerate it," Rukia stood up, fluffing out her kimono. "Leave."

Shirosaki's grin remained, but Rukia could tell he was not pleased. "My duty as a general is to conquer, and believe me when I say I never fail in doing so." He leaned over, placing his lips to her ear, "I _will _conquer you, my queen." He kissed her cheek softly before giving her a dangerous look.

Rukia trembled with fear. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

Shirosaki stood up, putting on his clothes. "By the way..." Shirosaki said as he slid open the fusuma. "I brought a gift for dearest brother." Rukia found it strange; Shirosaki was never the type to give gifts, especially to Ichigo. "It's a plant found only at the peak of mountains near cliffs. Beautiful yet rare, just like you, it has the ability to cure any illness. Ichigo was feeling a little sick a while ago, was he not? Brew this and give it to him to drink. He'll feel better in no time."

Shirosaki gestured for one of the servants to retrieve the flower. "Thank you, but it's not necessary. The herbs in my garden will suffice," Rukia told politely. There was something about Shirosaki that she never liked. He was like a serpent that whispered lies.

"Very well," Shirosaki replied. "You can just keep this flower for display." In a vase filled with water was a single flower with prickly thorns on the side. The petals were black on the edges, but towards the center, the petals became almost clear and blue. The shape was strange as it folded outward.

Rukia was awed by the pretty thing, "It looks like a glass rose..."

"I knew you'd be pleased. It's called Sleeping Beauty. Well, it's getting late so I must leave now."

Rukia set the flower aside. Perhaps Shirosaki was trying to be nice; Rukia felt guilty for treating him like a criminal all the time. "Ichigo, you're here," Rukia greeted her husband. "Did you see your brother?"

"Ah," Ichigo nodded, "I did, and as usual, my face disgusts him."

Rukia laughed, "I wonder how he reacts when he sees his own reflection then." She sighed, watching Ichigo undress to go to bed. "Are you feeling better?"

Ichigo quirked a brow, wondering what Rukia meant. "Oh, you mean my cold? It's nothing to fret about." Rukia shook her head. Men... they're always in denial. "I saw Shirosaki leave this room. What kind of words did you two exchange?"

Rukia became tongue-tied. Of course, Ichigo always suspected something was up between the two of them since Shirosaki made his feelings quite obvious. "He brought a gift, a flower to be exact."

"Huh, how weird." Ichigo walked over to the next room with Rukia where there was a large bed that had sheets made of expensive material from foreign countries. "He didn't touch you, did he?" Ichigo asked, sitting down on their bed.

Rukia flustered, "Of course not."

Ichigo eyed Rukia before pulled her at the waist towards him. He undid her obi and let her kimono slide off her shoulders. "Let me inspect thoroughly, just to make sure you're not lying." He stood up, kissing her thin lips while his hands roamed down her neck and towards her chest, massaging her soft breasts.

"Ichigo..." Rukia whispered, running her fingers through Ichigo's orange hair. Her mind suddenly clouded in thought as she saw Shirosaki's face in Ichigo's. She could still hear him taunting her, saying he'll conquer her. "We won't be separated, right?"

Ichigo blinked, curious by what Rukia meant. "Never."

Though Ichigo said that, Rukia couldn't help but feel an ominous feeling...

* * *

**A/N: **Shazam. Happy new years, it's 2013 and here's a new story! Hope you ladies (and/or men) enjoyed this first chapter. This story will be relatively short; I don't think it will exceed more than 10 chapters. But, who knows. Also, this story might be kind of... dark. There _might_ be cursing/rape/explicit crap, so if that aint your cup of tea, you might not want to read the upcoming chapters.

ALSO, this will be more of a Shirosaki x Rukia story... I don't want to say too much, but yah... Ending might be tragic for either Ichigo OR Shirosaki. Who will Rukia end up with? Even I'm not sure yet.

Anyway, please **review **:)


	2. Plot

"**As the black dragon withered away, the white dragon was left to protect the moon..."**

* * *

As there was a conference between Ichigo and Shirosaki about how to deal with west of Japan, Rukia sat under the roof while looking out at her garden through the opened fusuma. The rain pattered when it hit the ground, giving Rukia a peace of mind. She extended out her tiny hand, letting the drops of rain fall into her palm. When there was enough built in her hand, she poured the water onto the 'glass rose' that Shirosaki gave to her the other day. "Sleeping Beauty..." Rukia muttered, running her finger down the step while lightly touching the thorns.

Rukia kneeled on her lower legs with her feet under her buttocks as she sipped on her warm tea. Rukia looked over her shoulder after hearing someone step in. It was one of the servants of the castle. "Um... Rukia-sama. General Shirosaki wants to meet you-" the servant yelped as a large arm suddenly brushed her to the side.

"I'm her brother-in-law; why would I need permission to see her?" Shirosaki asked while taunting the girl before she scurried away in fear.

Rukia closed her eyes, shaking her head. Shirosaki was always barging into rooms like a barbarian. "How did the conference go?" she asked.

Shirosaki narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed with the outcome of it. Seeing his scowling face, Rukia could tell that Ichigo and Shirosaki were at a disagreement... as always. Trying to maintain his composure, he brushed the matter aside. "Discussions about conquering the world is only to be heard between men. Rukia-sama, I'd hate for you to be tainted by the thoughts of bloodshed."

Rukia frowned. "Ichigo promised he would try to gain the trust and support of other territories without fighting." Rukia hated knowing that all the fortune and wealth the Kurosaki family had came from killing people.

Shirosaki gritted his teeth, "He did. That's what he proposed at the conference."

"Is that what you're angry about, brother? Because you think we should spill more blood to gain land?" Rukia asked.

"It is the only way! This is why Ichigo is weak. Does he think that little talk and handshakes will give him power? We must destroy our enemies," Shirosaki bellowed, slamming his fist into his other hand. "What this castle needs is a strong king, _not_ a kind one."

Rukia didn't bother to disagree with him. There was no changing Shirosaki's mind about all this. After waiting for him to calm down, Rukia reached into the sleeve of her kimono, pulling out a bottle. "This is medicine for the wounds you sustained on your last battle. Rub it gently onto them and they should heal soon without scarring."

Shirosaki smiled at the sight. Indeed, Rukia was the type to forgive anyone, even those who gave her discomfort. "Thank you, Rukia-sama," he said, accepting the medicine. "I will think of you as I'm recovering."

Rukia disliked the affectionate feelings Shirosaki had for her. Something about them made her feel uneasy. "It's no problem," she said, barely giving him a second look. Shirosaki glowered at how miniscule his existence was to her. What made him most angry was that she didn't acknowledge him and that she didn't take him seriously. If he had to cause trouble to get Rukia to look at him, then so he would.

"Rukia-sama!" The girl from earlier shouted from the other side of the sliding door, "Ichigo-sama has fallen ill again."

Rukia's eyes grew wide while Shirosaki smirked at the news. Rukia followed the servant up the staircase. The entire castle grew anxious as their king was sick in bed. "Ichigo..." Rukia arrived beside Ichigo, who was sleeping soundly. The servants whispered amongst each other, each unsure of what to do at such a dire time. Rukia's hand caressed Ichigo's pale face while her other hand held onto his. "Momo-san..." Rukia called one of the maids.

Momo was a quiet girl, but she was kind and always loyal to Rukia. "Yes, Rukia-sama?" She held her head low.

"Please fetch me some water and mix some medicine together for me. Thank you."

"Yes Rukia-sama."

Momo hurried to her task. She went outside and fetched water from a nearby well and grabbed together ingredients from Rukia's garden to make the medicine. "My... how interesting that someone so weak should be the one to lead the Kurosaki clan." Momo froze at the voice of Shirosaki.

Shirosaki leaned against the wall, unphased by the thought that his brother could die. "I..." Momo couldn't look him in the eye. His very presence made it hard to breathe normally.

"Rukia-sama told me the other day to fetch this flower from the mountains. She said it'd rid Ichigo's illness. Put it in the medicine," Shirosaki smiled reassuringly. He pulled out the flower that he gave to Rukia. Momo stared at the pretty flower, though she was hesitant by his words. Rukia never told her anything about a flower. Shirosaki handed her the Sleeping Beauty flower, "You don't trust me?" he asked.

"I-It's not that... It's just that Rukia-sama never mentioned this." Momo shuddered in fear.

"I spoke with Rukia-sama and I reassure you, it's fine. I'm Ichigo's brother; I wouldn't do anything to harm him." Shirosaki circled her, almost threatening her to use the flower in the medicine.

Momo stared at the flower before plucking it out of the vase. "I suppose..." she muttered. A flower so beautiful couldn't be poisonous, she thought. Besides, Shirosaki _is_ Ichigo's brother. It wasn't like he was an assassin.

"Good girl," Shirosaki whispered into her ear before leaving the room. "After today, you will definitely be more conscious of me, Rukia-sama."

* * *

**A/N: **Woot! I'm so proud of myself for being able to update both my IchiRuki stories. If you haven't read it already, check out my other IchiRuki story called "Mean Green"!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please **review**! :)


	3. Traitor

**A/N: **Okay, so Dissy wrote to me in my reviews about a few concerns he/she had. Since you wrote to me as a guest, I couldn't reply to you in PM, but I'll just answer you here for everyone to see too :)

You said that Shirosaki was a little OOC because he would never refer to Rukia as Rukia-"sama." However, it was not my intent to make him say that in a polite/gentle manner. I probably should've mentioned this in chapter one (sorry, my fault!), but his tone was more like... _mocking_, rather than respectful. He speaks without sincerity, in short.

Oh, and you said that you pictured Shirosaki as a more malevolent person... I intended to let him have this 'nice guy' attitude as a facade/poker face in the beginning. This will change later.

And you also asked what setting my story is in. Honestly, I didn't plan on making it into any specific era of Japan. I just wanted this somewhere in the past where there were still castles, empires, and servants. I didn't want to go too in depth into the history of Japan, because I'm definitely not Japanese, nor am I a fan of history... so I didn't want to botch up the history of Japan by putting in false information. I'll leave you guys to imagine.

Oh, and Neko-chan wrote to me about the full name of Shirosaki. It's Hichigo Shirosaki.

Anyway, thanks for the review! If you guys have any more questions, feel free to ask.

* * *

"**And so the white dragon held the moon captive in a cage..."**

* * *

"Rukia-sama... please eat. You've been without food for three days now," Momo pleaded. She stood before Rukia, who was still holding onto Ichigo's hand. She looked pale and lifeless, not like her usual self. How could Rukia eat and sleep while her husband was sick?

"I don't understand," Rukia hoarsed, "the medicine you made should've taken effect by now." Ichigo had been sleeping for three days. His heart was still beating, but he never opened his eyes.

Momo bit her tongue. She looked over her shoulder, seeing Shirosaki by the doorway with his widening grin. Momo widened her eyes, gasping as she realized that she made a huge mistake. "Ru-Rukia-sama..." It couldn't be right? The flower she used in the medicine as instructed by Shirosaki... it couldn't have killed Ichigo, could it? She panicked. It would be the end of her - it'd be her head. The guilt plagued her mind.

"What is it, Momo-san?" Rukia asked. "What are you doing?" she asked when Momo fell to her knees.

"I've done a terrible thing, Rukia-sama!" She bowed so that her forehead was pressed against the tatami.

Rukia frowned, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Yes, what do you mean, Momo-chan?" Shirosaki asked, approaching her from behind. He loomed over her while his eyes pierced through her soul. Momo quaked, feeling like he was choking her with his very gaze. "Care to tell us?" Shirosaki tilted his head while squinting his eyes. He was threatening her.

Momo shrinked at Shirosaki's gaze, "I-It's nothing..." she trailed off before excusing herself and hurrying past the cruel man.

Shirosaki smiled widely so that his white teeth were visible, "What a strange girl, neh?" Rukia didn't comment. There was clearly something bothering Momo that she couldn't say in front of Shirosaki.

"If you are plotting something, you'd better stop," Rukia bluntly told.

"My... your eyes are so fierce and strong, just like how a queen should be."

Rukia held her breath, taking a step back when Shirosaki began to saunter over. Despite the fact that he was her brother-in-law, she never felt comfortable around him. No one really knew what went on in his mind, not even his brother Ichigo. Or rather, no one really wanted to know what Shirosaki was thinking, because if they did, they'd be sucked into his twisted world.

"Dearest brother," Shirosaki said, his voice full of false remorse. He kneeled beside Ichigo. Rukia sighed, feeling like a fool because she was suspecting Shirosaki to do something to her. He was spontaneous; Shirosaki's constant feral grin and his dark eyes made him unpredictable. "How could you leave behind your fortune? Your castle? Your _queen_? Or is it that you wanted to leave them all for me?"

"Brother..!" Rukia hissed, annoyed that Shirosaki would treat Ichigo as though... as though he was already gone. She closed her eyes, trying to calm down. "You should go."

Shirosaki stood up, and for once, his lips weren't curved. He darted a look to Rukia, scaring her a little. "Tomorrow, I am summoning the council to discuss about the King's absence. If all goes well," he leaned in, breathing into her ear, "I will take his place."

Rukia's eyes widened. "It's only been four days; Ichigo will recover," she begged, desperate to the point that she was tugging on Shirosaki's arm.

Shirosaki yanked his arm away from Rukia. "Did you know that an attack can occur at any time of day? By the time Ichigo is awake, this castle could be taken over by enemies. Who knows what your fate would be." Rukia was petrified. Not of the truth, but of Shirosaki. The only enemy trying to take over the castle was him. "I can protect you, Your Majesty." Finally, he pulled away, leaving her alone with Ichigo.

* * *

**Next Day**

"Rukia-sama, is this a good idea?" asked Momo, who was preparing a pigeon for Rukia.

Rukia scribbled a few words onto a tiny paper with a brush dipped in ink. "I have to tell my brother about the situation over here. I can't let brother-in-law take over; he's not fit to lead the Kurosaki clan." She sat before the hearth, chilling by the fire that was heating a kettle of water.

Momo cowarded. It was all her fault. Because she listened to that snake Shirosaki, Ichigo wouldn't wake up. Rukia tied the letter to the pigeon's foot, taking it from Momo's hands. She gaited slowly to the window. Rukia looked down below; they were a few stories feet up in the castle. "Rukia-sama... I have something I must confess."

"What is it?" Rukia asked, stroking the bird before letting it free from her grasp. It flapped its wings, flying in the direction of her hometown. Rukia, in truth, didn't have any royal blood in her. She was a peasant, along with her sister Hisana who had married the noble man Byakuya Kuchiki. Rukia's marriage to Ichigo wasn't a happy story at first since it was arranged, but in the end, they both somehow managed to fall in love. Due to this, the Kuchiki family and the Kurosaki family were good allies.

Momo pouted and her tears swelled with tears before she fell to her knees. "The reason His Majesty the King won't open his eyes is because of me," she sobbed, her face strucken with regret. When Rukia asked what she meant, Momo explained, "General Shirosaki gave me a flower to put in the medicine you instructed me to make days ago. He said you agreed to it, and so I..."

Rukia's hands curled into fists. How could she not have known? "It's not your fault. It's mine for being careless," she spoke through gritted teeth. If only she had thrown out that flower... Suddenly, there was a sound of gunshot from outside the castle walls. Rukia hurried to the window, seeing the messenger pigeon falling down from the sky. Rukia looked down, seeing a mass army of men storming through the gates. "We're under attack," Rukia murmured, rushing towards the room where the meeting with the council was taking place. "Momo-san, go stay by my husband's side. If I don't return, take him and leave by the secret passage, understand?"

"Y-Yes Rukia-sama," Momo

Rukia lifted up her kimono as she ran down flights of stairs. From afar, she could hear the servants screaming and barbarians roaring with laughter. It was just like Shirosaki predicted... Rukia came to a stop; she felt sick to the stomach when there were bodies on the ground covered in blood and the smell of death. When she heard the voices of people coming by, she quickly hurried over the bodies.

Rukia hid behind a large wooden pillar, spying on the enemy. They sported white masks that covered their faces, not entirely, but partially. Their armor and clothing were also white as snow with stains of red; Rukia grimaced, realizing it was blood. She quickly made her way towards the council as soon as it was safe.

When Rukia finally arrived, she didn't waste time. "Council members, we must leave. There are..." Rukia saw a trail of crimson blood, and finally, the corpses of the council members. She gaped, breathless and hopeless. They all had stab wounds and their throats slit mercilessly. They lay sprawled on the floor, eyes wide open as though they looked into the face of Death himself before they were murdered.

There was no time to panic. Reluctantly, Rukia grabbed a katana that was impaled into a man's chest. Looking away in fear, she pulled it out of him. The weight of the katana was unexpectedly light, but the thought of slaying someone with it made her feel heavy in the chest. "What are you doing holding such a thing, Rukia-sama?"

Rukia swung around with the sword, nearly cutting off Shirosaki's arm before she stopped. He didn't even flinch. Despite being told that he was the reason why Ichigo was in a coma, Rukia had to set that matter aside because now was not the time to be arguing against each other. "Brother, the castle and everybody-"

"Shh, I know," Shirosaki placed a finger to his lip while he reached out and took the weapon out of Rukia's hands, tossing it to the side. She staggered, seeing an expression on his face that he never displayed before. He stared at her dangerously with a smirk splitting his face. He was always suspicious before, but now it was confirmed. "Because I'm the one who planned this assault."

"Wh-Why?"

Shirosaki placed a hand on Rukia's cheek, caressing her rosy skin with his thumb. He tilted his head, admiring her beauty. "Why? It's simple." Swiftly, he placed his other hand behind at her nape, pushing her towards him. He forced his lips onto hers, tasting every bit of her as he delved his tongue into her mouth. Rukia struggled in a futile attempt until Shirosaki pulled away. He licked his lips, sighing in satisfaction. "I'm taking back what's rightfully _mine_."

Rukia was gaunt with disbelief. She brushed shoulders with him, running back to where Momo and Ichigo were at. The entire time, she desperately tried to erase a trace of Shirosaki off her lips. He was disgusting - a traitor.

"Rukia-sama!" Momo beamed at the sight of her friend.

"We must leave," Rukia told while trying to carry the unconscious King with her. Momo went to the other side, throwing Ichigo's arm over her shoulder. "What's the matter?" she asked Momo, who suddenly became weak to the knees.

"Ru-Rukia...sama," Momo squeaked, terrified.

Shirosaki blocked their path. Behind him were the men Rukia saw earlier, each with their hand on the hilt of their swords. "Where are you all heading to?" he asked nonchalantly. "You're not thinking about running away are you, my little bunny?"

Rukia tried to not show weakness. She wouldn't falter in front of him. "Move aside, brother," she demanded, hoping that if she showed him who had authority, he'd back down. The tension grew thick in the air, suffocating her.

Abruptly, Shirosaki let out a chuckle. "This whole castle is surrounded; there is no escape for you." He raised his hand, pointing his finger at his twin brother. "Surrender him over to me."

"And what will you do to him?" Rukia asked.

Shirosaki's smile faded and his eyes held no emotion. "I'm going to kill him."

Momo shifted uncomfortably, wondering what to do. "Rukia-sama?" she whispered. Rukia let Ichigo go, laying him down on the floor. Without a word, she kneeled down and held her arms wide open.

"You have to kill me first then."

Shirosaki squinted his eyes, glaring at Rukia. Did she think he wouldn't do it? The men behind him snickered at Rukia's daring move. "Conceited, aren't you Rukia?" Shirosaki asked, suddenly dropping the honorifics. "Do you honestly think you have that much power over me that you'd be able to influence my decisions? You are not my weakness."

Rukia didn't answer. She hung her head low, ready for death.

Shirosaki finally let out an amused scoff. "You leave me no choice then." He turned around to face one of his men, pulling a katana out of the man's sheath. With one swing of the blade, it would all be over. "Farewell, Rukia." Grabbing the handle with two hands, he held the sword over his head before bringing it down to her neck.

"Rukia-sama!" Momo screamed, and then the room became still and quiet.

The edge of the blade was only able to draw a single drop of blood. Shirosaki gripped tightly onto the hilt. He looked defeated and angry. He couldn't bring himself to make the final cut. However, that was not what bothered him. What annoyed him the most was the fact that Rukia didn't even budge. Her loyalty to Ichigo made Shirosaki despise his brother. He envied Ichigo. "Are you unable to kill me?" asked Rukia.

Shirosaki thrusted the sword into the floor, taking leave. "Nonsense. I simply lost interest. Ichigo keeps his pathetic life, but you... Your life is mine now."

* * *

**That Night**

Rukia bathed in a nearby hot spring with Momo outside. She lay back so that the water was just below her nose; she let out a sigh, making bubbles. Momo was stiff as a board, feeling out of place. She felt honored to even share such a moment with the Queen. Before, she was never even able to enter the hot springs because she was just a lowly servant. "Do you think they're still there?" Momo asked. By 'they,' she meant the soldiers standing nearby to make sure she and Rukia didn't run off.

Rukia shrugged, drawing her knees to her chest. Her mind was troubled with what Shirosaki told her. Her life was his? What was that supposed to mean? She shook her head, cupping some water into her palm and bring it to her mouth, scrubbing it roughly to rid the feeling of Shirosaki's lips.

"General Shirosaki didn't kill you. Do you think he loves you?" Rukia gave a look that said she didn't want to talk about the fool. "S-Sorry..."

"Someone like him is unable to feel anything other than greed," Rukia harshly told, getting angry again just thinking about him. Momo was surprised at this hate that was radiating off Rukia. She used to be so happy and calm, and now she was seething with hate.

Momo ran her fingers through her hair, trying to undo the knots in it. "I wonder if we'll ever get to go past these castle walls again," she sighed, looking up at the stars. "I wish... Kya!" The color in Momo's face washed away as she splashed in the water, pointing behind Rukia.

Rukia prayed it wasn't Shirosaki again. She turned around, facing one of the soldiers. He had electric blue hair that was spiked. Along the edge of his blue eyes were greenish marks. He gave a low whistle, winking at Rukia. "Shirosaki wants to see ya..." he gestured for Rukia to follow.

Rukia glared, quickly grabbing her clothes. "Look away first."

The man laughed, tilting his head and eyeing Rukia up and down. "C'mon. With this fog, I won't be able to see." He sat on a nearby boulder, propping his chin on his palm while waiting for Rukia to dress in front of him. "So you're the queen, huh? I wonder how it'd feel to have someone royal like you sucking me off-"

"Grimmjow..." A melancholy voice called. Stepping out from behind the trees was another strange looking man. He was as pale as Shirosaki, but his hair was black and his eyes green. "If you want to keep your head, take your eyes off the woman."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes while giving an agitated 'tch.' "You always gotta be the loyal dog, Ulquiorra."

Momo trembled in fear, "Everything feels foreign now," she whispered meekly. The two got dressed after the men were out of sight.

Rukia dressed into a simple kimono. "Wear this kimono," she told Momo. In her arms was a folded up kimono that Rukia owned. Momo was dumbstruck at her generosity.

"I-I can't..." The kimono was red and patterned with gold flowers. "After what I've done, how could you be so kind to me?"

"We only have each other now. Arguing in this situation we're in would only make things worse. Besides, it wasn't your fault. Here," Rukia shoved the clothes into Momo's arms, "I insist you wear them."

Momo grew teary at Rukia's kind gestures. She wiped her tears with her forearm, "You really are as nice as the rumors say," she weeped. Rukia smiled a little, comforting Momo with a hug.

After they were done, the man named Ulquiorra lead Rukia to Shirosaki. Now, she would have to be escorted everywhere. She was under close surveillance; there was no more freedom. "What are we doing here?" Rukia asked once they arrived. They were in her room, where Ichigo was resting at.

Ulquiorra didn't provide her with an answer. He closed the fusuma.

The room was lit with candles. Besides the candles, the only thing in the room was the large western bed and Ichigo. The place was cold and eerie. Rukia looked around, wondering where Shirosaki was. The flickering flames created illusions of shadows on the walls, frightening Rukia a little.

Rukia jumped, spinning around when she felt a touch on her shoulder. "A little jumpy, are we?" Shirosaki asked, pleased with her reaction. He liked seeing her intimidated by him because it made him feel excited to know how conscious she was of him. "You know... you made a fool out me earlier. Though believe me, it won't happen again." He walked around her, stirring her up. Rukia tried her best to not show fear, though it only amused Shirosaki. He grabbed a few strands of her short dark hair, bringing his nose to it and smelling her sweet scent. He let out a sigh, smirking.

"Do you think this will rattle me up?" Rukia asked. "I won't succumb to your little games."

"I know. Your will is quite strong, but that's what I like about you. It makes things a lot more interesting. It's boring if things always go my way." Shirosaki stood behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her. Rukia tensed, feeling his hand going beneath the collar of her kimono and his fingertips grazing her breast. "Do you know why I brought you here to this room specifically?" he asked while his hands were still roaming her body.

Rukia resisted the urge to make any sounds of distress, knowing it'd only increase his ego.

Without warning, Shirosaki pinned Rukia to the floor. He straddled her hips and held her hands above her head, giving a sadistic expression. "So that we can give Ichigo a nice show of me fucking his wife," he barked, cackling like a hyena.

Rukia was horrified; she tried to escape his grasp but Shirosaki was much too strong. She winced, feeling the pain in her wrists. "Brother, please..." she pleaded for him to let her go.

Shirosaki stopped grinning. "I am _not _your brother. While I'm ravaging you, I want you to moan out my name. Try saying Shirosaki," he muttered, longing to hear her say it for the first time. Rukia pursed her lips. She didn't even know if she had the strength to speak anymore. He brushed her cheek with the back of his rough hand. "This doesn't have to be difficult."

Rukia glared, spitting at Shirosaki's face. "I hate you," she said in a raspy voice that was void of emotion.

Hearing those words, Shirosaki's hold on her loosened. Rukia managed to break free and exit the room, leaving him to his thoughts. He was left dumbfounded, but then he burst out into laughter. "Damn. She made a fool out of me again."

* * *

**A/N: **Dun dun dun! Shirosaki massacred (almost) everyone in the castle and he is now King. He has everything now, except for the heart of the Queen... for now... maybe ;)

How'd you like that almost-lemon scene by the way? Hehe, perverts. I was so close to making one, but then I thought that perhaps Rukia wasn't ready to be handled roughly by the sexy Shirosaki yet. Mmmm. I'd be ready for him any day- whoops, got lost in thought. Anyway...

Please **review**!


	4. Poisoned

"**However, the white dragon could not tame the moon..."**

* * *

That night, Rukia slept with Momo in the slave chambers. They slept on a thin layer of hay in the cold night. Momo was used to it of course, but Rukia had to adjust from her life as a princess to a captive. "Rukia-sama?" Momo asked. They huddled together, sharing their body warmth.

"Yes?" Rukia asked, shivering. She jumped a few times, hearing rats scuttle across the place.

"What will we do from here on?"

Honestly, Rukia wasn't sure. They were sleeping in cells and being watched like animals... There was definitely no way they would be alright. "Go to sleep," Rukia hushed, "I'll think of something."

There was one thing Rukia was sure of; she had to get on Shirosaki's good side. Butting heads with him would probably get her, Momo, or Ichigo killed. However, Rukia had no idea how she would befriend Shirosaki, not after what he had done. But... if putting on a fake smile would save their lives, she would have to start practicing being generous. If one day she can get Shirosaki to trust her enough to let her outside the castle walls, then maybe she could contact a doctor and somehow find a way to wake up Ichigo.

It wasn't a sturdy plan, but Rukia had to do something.

* * *

"Thank you for the food," Rukia tilted her head forward. Her hands wrapped around her cup of tea; she lifted it to her lips, tasting the rejuvenating drink.

Shirosaki grinned as they ate breakfast together in an empty room. Usually, Rukia would be eating food with Ichigo in the morning... she never thought things would end up like this. "You're so obedient today," he said. His eyes squinted at her cunningly, "What are you up to?"

Rukia shook her head, "I've learned my place, that's all."

Shirosaki chuckled. "The rats got to you that much?" He reached over, plucking a piece of hay out of Rukia's hair; she tensed. Rukia nodded. She didn't feel like conversing with him. Shirosaki was a very analytical man. He could figure out anyone with the little actions they made. People had to be careful around him. "I don't believe you," he said dangerously.

Rukia cowered, fearing Shirosaki'd punish her for lying. "Would I lie to you?" Rukia smiled, hoping to be somewhat charismatic.

Suddenly, Shirosaki's face lit up with interest. He was very glad that yesterday's incident(s) hadn't shattered Rukia's spirit too much. It would be much too boring to just play with a lifeless doll. Today, he wasn't feeling too generous as yesterday. He would not let her have the upper hand again. Shirosaki stood up, walking around the dishes on the table. He finally stopped, stooping down behind Rukia.

Rukia jolted lightly, feeling Shirosaki's arm snake around her waist. "Brother-"

"You learned your place right?" Shirosaki reminded. "Then call me by my name." He longed to hear Rukia say his name.

Rukia gripped tightly onto her kimono. It wasn't hard to say his name, but it was quite nerve wrecking when he was so close. Shirosaki breathed down the nape of her neck, planting a ghostly kiss on it. Rukia squirmed, "Shi... Shirosaki," she stammered meekly.

Shirosaki lifted his head back with his eyes closed, as though he was indulging in Rukia saying his name. The sweet sound of her voice saying his name for the first time was as great as he imagined. She pushed herself away from him, disgusted by the fact that he was literally getting high from her voice. He yanked her back; she felt his chest against her. "Despite your new attitude, you're still a little reluctant. I'll break ya soon enough."

The door opened; one of Shirosaki's henchmen entered. It was the man named Ulquiorra. He kneeled on one knee with his vision on the ground, "Lord Byakuya is here."

Rukia's eyes widened, "My brother is here?" When she saw the pleased look on Shirosaki's face, she grabbed his arm without thinking. "Don't hurt him," she whispered sharply with glaring eyes.

Shirosaki brushed her hand off him. "We're only discussing matters. If he cooperates, I'll let him live." Before Rukia could speak, he closed the door behind him, leaving her to Ulquiorra.

Rukia stomped up to the obedient pale man, threatening him to step aside. "Move," she ordered. Ulquiorra didn't budge. His eyes strayed to her, simply looking down on her. He didn't speak a word and didn't make a movement; he was a mere puppet. The empty look in his eye scared her. "I'm the least dangerous person in this castle. For what reason should I be held captive like this?" she asked, struggling to push Ulquiorra out of the way.

Moments passed before finally the door slid open. It was Byakuya. "Rukia," he called.

"You're safe," Rukia sighed in relief. "Ichigo's brother... he's corrupt and he-"

Byakuya raised his hand, stopping Rukia from speaking any further. "I know. I've been informed."

"Then you must know that he's not fit to be king. Please, help Ichigo and-"

"There is nothing I can do," explained Byakuya. Rukia trembled as blood drained from her face. She could see Shirosaki standing behind Byakuya with a victorious smile. "The alliance between the Kurosaki and the Kuchiki families remain as is."

Rukia was shocked at the outcome. Her brother, who she thought would be the one to be able to save her and the Kurosaki kingdom, was turning his back on her. "Nii-sama..." she chanted. She couldn't find the words to say. Her arms fell to her sides, defeated.

"Because of Ichigo's comatose state, you'll take on the role as Shirosaki-sama's wife." Rukia stammered, hoping to somehow change Byakuya's mind, but he wouldn't have it. He leaned close, whispering in her ear. "For the sake of the Kuchiki family. Do not fail to bear a child to seal the alliance, understand?"

With that, Byakuya left the premises. "Well, that was an interesting turn of events, was it not?" Shirosaki circled her, taking a strand of her hair and twirling it around his long and thin fingers. Rukia's fingers curled into an iron fist. "Everything is going to be fine," he murmured.

"You poisoned his mind, didn't you?" Rukia asked, eyes glossing with unshed tears of hate and resentment. First Shirosaki poisoned Ichigo and now he had infected Byakuya.

Shirosaki let out a mocking laugh, "I wouldn't call it that, but if you say so." He leaned down, squinting until his eyes became slits. "But the only person who I can't seem to 'poison' seems to be you." He placed one hand on her shoulder, "You'll come around."

"We'll see about that."

* * *

The next few days, Shirosaki had been away at war. In just a short amount of time, he had conquered most of the north by force. Rukia shook her head in disapproval. Had it been Ichigo, none of this violence would have happened. "What are you doing, Rukia-sama?" Momo asked. They were both out in the vast garden. Rukia picked at a patch of red flowers. "Are those roses?"

Rukia shook her head. "These are called Deathbringers. They mimic roses to attract living things. In truth, they're highly poisonous if ingested."

Momo gasped, taking a step back from the deadly plants. "What do you plan on doing?"

Rukia stood up, dusting off her kimono. She looked around to make sure there wasn't anyone trying to eavesdrop on them. "Shirosaki may be a master at war, but he doesn't know too much about plants."

Momo grabbed Rukia by the arm, but apologized immediately afterwards. "Is this a good idea? What if you're discovered - you'll be whipped, or possibly face death."

Rukia thanked Momo for worrying about her well being, but insisted that she stay out of it. "He's a bad person. Something must be done."

That night, Rukia mixed the petals of the Deathbringers into an herbal tea. The tea had a tint of pink, but it wasn't anything too suspicious. She carried the drink into Shirosaki's room that night. "Step aside, please," she asked politely to Ulquiorra, who was standing on guard.

"Let her in," called Shirosaki from the other side of the room. "Rukia-sama," he purred, "I didn't think I'd find _you _approaching me this late at night. Did you come to celebrate my well being after returning from battle?" He wore a simple yukata that revealed a well defined chest. He lay back with a woman on each of his sides. They laced him with kisses, giggling and roaming their hands across his body.

Rukia tried hard not to seem bothered by the sight. Reluctant, Rukia nodded. She wished he had died instead. "I made tea."

Shirosaki narrowed his eyes, lusting after her. "Actually, I'd prefer some sake." The woman beside him pulled out a bottle of fine sake, handing it to him and earning a kiss on the lips. "I brought this back from a village we last conquered. Rumor goes that they make the best drink in Japan." Rukia grimaced from Shirosaki's 'tale.'

"I apologize. I always become weak after drinking sake. I'd prefer some tea instead." Rukia held out the drink, hoping Shirosaki would just take a sip.

Shirosaki smirked. He stood up, brushing the women off him. "Is there some kind of special ingredient in this tea that makes it so delicious that you're so eager for me to drink it?" Rukia turned to her face to the side, hoping he wouldn't see the sweat on her brow. He was so close to her; she could hear his heart beating slowly. Perhaps he heard hers beating quickly. Shirosaki poured the tea into a bamboo cup.

Rukia watched eagerly as Shirosaki lifted the cup to his lips. His eyes remained plastered onto hers. He held his head back. But then, he stopped midway. Rukia's heart plummeted in disappointment.

Shirosaki eyed her suspiciously. "You drink it first." He held the cup out to Rukia, who stared at it, unsure what to do. "Not willing to? Did you perhaps put poison in it-"

Rukia snatched the cup, immediately drinking the tea whole, stunning Shirosaki. "It's delicious," she commented, not willing to give in now.

Shirosaki sneered dangerously. They both stared deeply into each other, unwilling to back down. Eventually, the poison was starting to take effect in her system. Her knees buckled, her face turned pale, and she was starting to shiver. "You fool," Shirosaki cursed. Immediately, he punched her hard in the stomach, causing her to vomit the poison.

The women, who were sitting idly, began to go frantic. They wailed, exiting the room as they saw Rukia coughing up blood.

Rukia's vision began to blur as the pain and numbing spread across her body. Shirosaki caught her frail body, carrying her to the bed as he called for a doctor. His brushed the back of his hand across her face, "You were that desperate to kill me that you'd drink your own poison?" he asked.

Rukia gathered the strength in her to speak. "I'd do... anything to see you dead."

Shirosaki growled, angry at her. However, he found himself more disappointed than mad.

* * *

"You're lucky you're still alive. Had Shirosaki-sama not act fast enough, you'd be in the other world right about now," explained the doctor. He placed his finger on Rukia's wrist, feeling her steady pulse. "You're in stable condition now, but rest a few days. Drink enough water and medicine to drain out the rest of the poison, understand?"

Rukia lay in bed, still weak and practically immobile. "I understand," she whispered grudgingly before the doctor left. She turned to the doorway when she heard a slow clapping noise. Her body tensed as she laid eyes on Shirosaki, who was snickering.

He took a seat beside her, grabbing her hand and caressing it with his thumb. "That was a mighty stunt you pulled the other day," Shirosaki spoke gently. Suddenly, his golden eyes turned red with rage. Rukia whimpered, biting on her tongue as she felt the back of his hand slap her across the face. He squeezed his hold on her, "However, I will not tolerate reckless behavior like that from you again."

Rukia reached up, feeling the stinging and throbbing pain in her now-swelling cheek. Still, she didn't show a sign of weakness. "Did Momo-chan tell you about the poison?" Rukia asked, still unwilling to look him in the eye.

Shirosaki leaned forward so that he was an inch from her face. "She did. But don't be angry at her. She was only looking out for you. Had she not, I would've drank the poison and when my men found out I died, they would've stuck your head on a sharp stick and hung it by the gates of this castle."

Rukia slowly turned her head so that she was staring at Shirosaki head on.

He breathed on her, "Here's a lesson for you: next time you choose to poison your husband like you did to your last one, do it right-"

"I didn't poison Ichigo! You did!" Rukia snapped, thrashing in rage. She swung her arms at him, only to be restrained down.

Shirosaki pinned her down by the wrists, glaring into her violet eyes. When Rukia finally calmed down, he kissed her on the cheek, uttering to her, "Get over it. His people, his kingdom, his title..." He then brushed his lips on hers, tasting her as he forced his tongue into her mouth. Rukia struggled, feeling him dominate her. He nibbled on her bottom lip before breaking off the kiss with a satisfied sigh. "And finally, his woman," he grinned, "all of it belongs to me now."

* * *

**A/N: **Talk about plan failure! C'mon Rukia! We all know that to poison a man, you must use seduction first!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Also, I'm SO sorry for the looong awaited update. It's just that I haven't been inspired much to write this story. But anyway, here's the chapter. Please review :)


	5. Lies

"**Nor could he tame its heart..."**

* * *

**2 Years Earlier**

Rukia held back a whimper as she reached out, longing for her items. One by one, each of the slaves came in and took something of hers and left with it, most likely throwing it out. She had brought all her items from home: a comb that her brother had given her, a jar of fireflies that she had collected at home (without her brothers knowledge of course, since it was unladylike), her clothes, and so much more. Already, the Kurosaki kingdom, which was supposed to be her new home, was starting to feel like prison.

The worst part was that Rukia didn't even know what her husband looked like, since it was arranged. She only knew his name - Ichigo Kurosaki. Of course, she was happy that the Kuchiki clan would become allies with the Kurosaki clan because of her marriage, still... It's not like she wasn't sad. She pictured how her husband would look like. Maybe he had long hair and eyes that were full of pride and love for his country. Rukia sighed with a smile at the thought of her ideal man.

"What's over there?" asked Rukia, pointing to a sealed door. Momo, who was a new servant at the Kurosaki kingdom, stammered as the future Queen spoke to her. She had never been spoken to by someone so royal. "Is something the matter?"

Momo bowed, "N-No, Rukia-sama. Oh, you shouldn't go over there," she warned as Rukia began to wander towards the door. "It's a surprise," was all she said when Rukia asked what it was.

Surprise? Rukia could barely contain herself anymore.

"You must be Kuchiki Rukia..." echoed a sly voice. As if appearing from the shadows, a tall and thin man stepped forward. His skin was pale white, including his hair. He bore a smile that was so broad that his canine teeth were visible. However, his most defining feature were his fierce, golden eyes that seemed to pierce right through Rukia's soul. He turned to Momo, who shuddered, "Excuse us."

Momo left the room in a hurry.

Rukia stared at the mysterious man, getting lost in his eyes. Something about his aura made her feel... vulnerable. He took two long strides, reaching her in no time. The man didn't have long hair and nor did he have eyes that were full of pride and love, but Rukia couldn't help but ask. "C-Could you be Kurosaki Ichigo?"

The man tilted his head, a little lost in thought before saying, "I can be anything you want me to be."

Rukia took that as a yes. "It's been so long; I've been waiting for years to meet you - oh! I almost forgot." She quickly dove her hand into her kimono, surprising the man a little. "I brought a gift for you." She pulled out a small box, opening it to reveal some pastry. Rukia looked up, hoping to see some excitement in the man's eyes. Instead, he just stared, as though he was examining something important. "U-Um... I hope you like sweets. In my hometown, we usually make these things for our loved ones, so..." she blushed, looking away in embarrassment.

'Ichigo' finally quirked a grin. However, this grin was more genuine than the one he first showed when he arrived. He seemed grateful; Rukia returned the smile. He reached over, grabbing a piece while nodding. "Thank you."

Rukia felt hot to the face, wondering if 'Ichigo' would like the pastry or not. She felt chills running down her spine as he kept his eyes on her while taking a bite out of it. She let out a gasp, quickly turning to the side as he ran his tongue over his finger.

'Ichigo' let out a chuckle. "It's delicious."

Rukia's heart lifted with joy at the complement. "I'm glad-" Hey eyes widened when she suddenly saw how close 'Ichigo' was to her... and when she realized that their lips were touching. She could feel him smiling against her; his hand reached up, tracing her jawline. She took a step back, bringing her hands to cover her once-virgin lips. Rukia felt numb all over, but the skin where he touched was burning.

'Ichigo' looked pleased with her reaction. "How adorable," he teased. He reached up to her face; Rukia cringed, afraid he might do something to her again. She felt him put something in her hair.

Rukia looked up - "My hair pin," she touched it. It was a delicate pin that used to belong to her sister, Hisana. "I thought they wouldn't let me have any of my old items here," she pointed to the servants, who were still busily taking out her things.

'Ichigo' winked, "It's an exception I'm making."

Rukia opened her mouth to say something before she heard footsteps. She looked behind 'Ichigo' to see... an identical Ichigo. "Y-You are..." she stuttered, wondering if she was seeing twos now. Surely the kiss didn't make her too dizzy.

The new man had orange hair and peachy skin. Although _he_ didn't have the long hair, he definitely had eyes that were full of pride and love for his country. "You must be Rukia," he greeted. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki."Rukia frowned, confused. If this orange haired man was her husband, then who was this other man who had just kissed her? "I see you've met my brother, Shirosaki. We're twins."

It slowly dawned on her that she was tricked by this man named Shirosaki. Shirosaki smiled, holding his finger to his lips, gesturing for her to keep quiet about their little kiss. Rukia pursed her lips, feeling like a fool. One thing was for sure, she was glad that she wasn't marrying Shirosaki. "U-Um, I brought pastry," Rukia held up the box from earlier.

Ichigo thanked her, leading her to the door from earlier. "Excellent. Maybe we can eat some out here," he opened the door, revealing a vast garden. Rukia nearly dropped the box as she stepped into the garden. There were so many petals in the spring air. There were probably hundreds of different plants that she had never even seen in her life. "It's a gift for you."

"Thank you," Rukia mumbled, a little too stunned for words. She looked down in shame. Compared to his gift, her little pastries were nothing. "They're not that good so..."

Ichigo grabbed a piece, eating it whole. He chewed on it, tilting his head back and forth as though it'd help him taste it better. When he was done, he nodded in approval. "It reminds me of my mother's cooking."

Rukia grew flustered. When she looked closely, Ichigo was quite charming and kind. As they walked down the hallway, she glanced behind them to see Shirosaki following. "Your brother," Rukia began, "what's he like?" she asked Ichigo.

Ichigo pondered for a minute. "Shirosaki, what are you like?"

Rukia nearly choked. The whole purpose of asking Ichigo what Shirosaki was like was because she didn't want to ask Shirosaki himself!

The pale man crossed his arms before answering. "Why are you curious, Rukia-sama?" he asked, intimidating her. "If you ought to know, I'm simply the horse that carries the king," he nodded his head to Ichigo. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Rukia couldn't help but sense that there was a bit of a grudge hinted in Shirosaki's voice. When he left the room, Rukia turned to Ichigo. "He's interesting."

Ichigo laughed, "You don't have to be shy. I get it, he's strange."

"That's not what I meant-"

"He's just a little upset with me, that's all," said Ichigo. Rukia was curious by what he meant. "Let's just say... in the beginning, I was supposed to be the horse and he the king."

* * *

"There is no reason why I should be under supervision from you two," Rukia spoke softly to Ulquiorra and Grimmjow.

"Yeah, you shouldn't be if you hadn't gone _suicidal_," barked Grimmjow, who was just as against this idea as Rukia. He hated babysitting a woman when he couldn't even have the privilege of touching her. It was practically torture.

Ulquiorra just closed his eyes, letting out an inaudible sigh. "Be quiet."

Rukia looked around. Even if she was going to pull another suicide stunt, there was nothing in the room she could even hurt herself with. She was simply laying in bed with nothing to do. "Where is he?" she asked, referring to Shirosaki.

"You aren't his only priority," answered Ulquiorra. Rukia sneered. She threw her legs over the side of the bed, wobbling as she made her way towards the exit. "Do you really insist that I tie you down?" he asked, standing in front of her.

Rukia could barely stand; she panted, struggling to speak. "Do you think Shirosaki would let you lay a hand on me?"

Ulquiorra continued to stare Rukia down.

Although Rukia didn't like to admit it, it was true that having Shirosaki on her side at times had its usefulness. She walked out of the room a free woman. "Rukia-sama!" Momo rushed over, immediately dropping on her knees. "Are you alright?" She looked horrified to see Rukia in such a state, "I'm sorry that I told Shirosaki-sama-"

"It's fine," replied Rukia. "I already had a feeling that it wouldn't work out either way. Afterall," she looked ahead to see Shirosaki entering the hallway. He had a few cuts; it was apparent he had just come back from another battle. "That man _is_ practically immortal," Rukia said, much to her dismay. She excused Hinamori.

"You're out of bed," snarled Shirosaki, who threatened to have Ulquiorra and Grimmjow punished for failing such an easy task of watching over Rukia.

"It's not their fault. I threatened them to let me out," replied Rukia, coming at their defense.

Shirosaki scoffed, shrugging. "Of course, there isn't a man who can't be persuaded by you." He ran his fingers through Rukia's hair, "Except me." He grabbed her by the arm, dragging her back into the bedroom. "Get out, you two." Ulquiorra and Grimmjow left without questioning. He threw Rukia on the bed and began stripping himself.

Rukia turned gaunt, "You wouldn't dare...!" she hissed.

Beneath his armor were more wounds. Although he did appear immortal, he didn't seem too invincible. There was a large gash on his chest, but besides that, nothing else seemed too painful. Shirosaki chuckled, shaking his head. "Do you honestly think I'm that low to force myself upon you?" Finally, he tossed his blade aside. "Try to be useful and bandage my wound."

Rukia huffed, turning red with rage. "Why should I help you, the enemy?"

Shirosaki climbed onto the bed, "Because if you don't, then your dearest Ichigo is as good as dead."

Rukia's eyes were fiery with hate. She gave him a good and hard stare that could turn anyone into stone. Finally making up her mind, she called for Momo to bring in water, cloth, and medicine. When Momo returned with the items, Rukia began cleaning out the wound with a wet cloth. "Don't tell me you purposely got this wound so that I could be your personal nurse?" She tried her best to not look up at him and to not stare at his fine muscles.

Her hands shook as she also tried to avoid grazing her fingers on his chest; she didn't want Shirosaki to start thinking she was getting affectionate with him. He smirked, "Maybe. Though, I get the feeling you're enjoying this more than I am." He glanced down, grabbing Rukia's wrist and pushing her hand against his hard chest.

"Pervert," Rukia murmured, pushing him away. "Make your wound deeper, see if I care." She quickly grabbed the medicine, applying it onto his cut.

"That's not poison, is it?" Shirosaki asked. Rukia gritted her teeth. He was never going to let this go. He winced when Rukia rubbed hard, practically digging into his gash. "Feisty. What happened to the Rukia-sama who would ask if it hurt?" he cooed.

Rukia's brow pushed against each other, "That Rukia died a long time ago." Quickly, she bandaged him up, and quite carelessly too. "Done-"

"You're wearing the hair pin I gave you when we first met."

Rukia paused, realizing that she was. "You never gave it to me, you just returned it."

Shirosaki slipped his clothes back on. He grinned to himself, "I had a dream last night of the first day we met. You were so innocent back then."

"And you were less cruel," replied Rukia.

Shirosaki sighed, "The pink blush that stained your cheeks when I kissed you... Now everytime I kiss you, you just growl at me with red eyes - yes, just like that," he said when Rukia began glaring at him. He leaned back on the bed, closing his eyes with his arms folded behind his head. "You should've been mine from the beginning."

Rukia lifted a brow, "What do you mean by that?"

Shirosaki looked up at her, giving her a look that asked if she really wanted to know. When Rukia nodded, he told her, "The title of King rightfully belonged to me. Despite the fact that I was the youngest brother, everyone knew that I had the better potential to be King. It was already decided by father that I would take his place and that Ichigo would be the general instead. However, weeks before I would be King, Ichigo fell ill, and everyone knows that the general can't be weak. Therefore, he and I swapped roles."

"That's why you detest Ichigo?"

"He stole everything from me."

"Isn't it you who stole everything from him?" Rukia asked. "A person like you who goes around conquering territory without mercy isn't a King. You're just a bandit."

Shirosaki restrained himself from slapping Rukia again. Instead, he let out a frustrated laugh, "Don't speak so high of Ichigo when you don't even know him. Before when I was supposed to marry you, he was already seeing another woman. He didn't even want to marry you."

Rukia scowled, "You're lying. He's nothing like you-"

"That's true. Unlike him, I actually looked forward to our first meeting." Shirosaki smiled devilishly before leaving the room, "It's up to you whether or not you want to believe me."

Rukia shook her head, refusing to believe it. After all, Shirosaki was the type to try and get into people's heads to manipulate them. He just wanted to control her and weaken her. He's a liar.

* * *

"Momo-chan, I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore," Rukia explained, feeling hopeless. "There's no other chance to try and kill Shirosaki after what happened last time." Momo apologized again for telling Shirosaki about Rukia's plan. Now that Shirosaki knew that Rukia was out to get his head, he was more cautious of her and her actions. Now, he wouldn't even let her near the garden.

Momo stuttered, trying to gather the courage to speak up. When Rukia insisted that she speak her mind, she told her, "P-Perhaps you should try a change of strategy." Rukia raised her brows. "Nevermind... It's a stupid plan and you'll hate me for even thinking it."

"I'm open to suggestions."

Momo fiddled with her thumbs, swaying side to side as she was trying to think of a way to put it delicately. "Sleep with him."

Rukia nodded, "You're right, it's a bad idea."

"If you can't kill him, gain his trust. That way you can at least be able to leave this castle and try to get some help."

Rukia looked at Momo with disdain. She didn't want to - she couldn't. Sleeping with the man who put her husband in a coma? "I-I can't. I won't." She hated Shirosaki to the point of no return. If she could barely look him in the eye, how was she supposed to seduce him without having him get suspicious? Rukia stood up from the springs, holding tight onto the towel around her. She quickly dressed into a light kimono, making her way towards Ichigo's room where he lay asleep still.

Before she'd go to bed, she'd always check up on Ichigo to make sure he was still breathing. Rukia sat beside Ichigo, sighing as he didn't make a single movement. She placed her hand on his cheek, feeling his warmth radiating. A bitter smile fell on her face as she recalled Shirosaki's words from earlier. '_He didn't even want to marry you.' _

Rukia slapped the thought away. It was just lies, she told herself. She leaned forward, kissing him on the lips. "I've decided on what I'm going to do, Ichigo. Please forgive me after tonight," she whispered, listening to his steady breathing. "Everything's going to be okay soon."

* * *

"Once again, you approach me late at night. Could it be you're up to something?" asked Shirosaki. He didn't bother looking up at Rukia as he was reading over some scrolls. The room was lit with two candles that flickered gently. "What do you think you're doing?" His voice echoed in the lonely room.

Rukia had walked over and seated herself on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Isn't this what you've always wanted?" she whispered huskily into his ear, nearly driving him to the edge.

Shirosaki smirked at her courage. "Isn't this what you've always avoided?"

With one hand, Rukia traced her fingertips down to his chest, outlining his thick muscles. Gently, she planted her soft lips against his neck, feeling his adam's apple bobbing as he gulped. "Change of heart, I guess." Her breath was hot against his skin, causing him to let out a restrained groan.

"Really?" Shirosaki asked, interested at this turn of event. "I don't believe you."

"Would you rather I stopped?"

"Not in the least." Shirosaki grabbed Rukia by the waist, lifting her towards the bed. Impatient, he captured her lips with his, moving against her. His tongue delved into her mouth, flickering against hers. He nipped at her bottom lip while pressing his body hard against her.

His hand reached down, aggressively ripping off her kimono and revealing her breasts. He stared, hungrily lusting for her warmth. Rukia whimpered, feeling his cold hand squeezing her left breast while his other was running down her leg and up towards her inner thigh. She could slowly feel herself dying with every touch; her eyes began swelling with tears as she was disgusted with herself.

"You're so beautiful," Shirosaki murmured against her skin as he kissed down her jawline and towards her neck. His tongue ran along her collarbone, tasting the sweat that was building up all over her. Finally, he brought himself down to her breast, sucking on them and flicking his tongue against her hard nipple.

Rukia shuddered, looking away from the scene. She grabbed a fistful of the sheets beneath her and bit her tongue, trying not to scream because she was so angry with herself. "I can't..." she sobbed, tears finally escaping her eyes. "Stop," she pleaded, pushing him away.

Shirosaki noticed her unwillingness and scoffed. "I knew you were bluffing," he sighed, knowing it was too good to be true. Looking at Rukia so miserable, he couldn't say he felt too good with himself. She looked disheveled and like she'd just been raped - well... she practically was. He fixed her kimono back in place and grabbed the blanket, covering her up. "You're lucky you told me to stop before I got too serious. Otherwise, things would've been bad for you," he smiled broadly.

Rukia shivered, wondering why he didn't just proceed and force himself onto her. The scalding tears wouldn't stop flowing as she stared at the ceiling, flinching with every movement he made. She tried so hard to convince herself that she could sleep with the enemy, but here she was, sobbing with humiliation. Rukia reached over, grabbing Shirosaki by the arm. "You can keep everything - the castle, the empire, even me. Just give Ichigo the medicine to wake up and let him go.," Rukia pleaded desperately. "I'll do anything you say from here on."

Shirosaki scowled, growling at her proposal. Of course, it was an easy way out for him. He gets to keep everything as long as he spared Ichigo's life. It was as simple as that. However, it wasn't good enough. "It's not enough to just have your body." He yanked his arm away from her grasp. Shirosaki envied his brother dearly. Even in his state, Ichigo still had a hold on Rukia's heart, something that Shirosaki would never have.

* * *

**A/N: **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review :)


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